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Recent monsoon floods in India's Ganges river have created unprecedented water levels at four locations in northern India causing damage, destruction and loss of life.

Bihar state, where we support education projects for Dalit children, is one of the worst flood-hit states in India with at least 150 deaths and nearly half a million people evacuated. The highest water level record was in Patna, the state capital of Bihar where flood waters reached 50.52m.

Sister Veena Jacob who leads Navjeevan Education and Social Welfare Society, one of our partner organisations in Bihar, describes the situation.

“The most affected areas are six Panchayathsin Manner Block, Kitha Chwarthar Madhay and Haldi Chapara which consist of 12 villages and are completely under water. There are 50,000 people affected by this flood very badly. Many people are staying back in the villages to safeguard their belongings. They are staying on the house tops. They are drinking the flood water, [there is] no fire wood to boil the water.

Only a few are reaching out to them with relief because they are cut off from the main land. The relief camp is kept without basic facilities of food and clean drinking water. It is very heart breaking to see children crying for food to their mothers. Mothers have nothing to provide for the children.”

Children on the Edge has made an immediate response to the crisis by sending payment for rice, dahl, beaten rice, sugar, candles and matches for 400 families in the immediate area.

The flood situation remains very serious and it is expected their water levels may rise again. Hundreds of thousands of people are not being reached by government help. There is huge gap in food supplies, sanitary kits, clean drinking water, medicine and temporary shelters.

We are making an emergency appeal to support the people of Bihar at this time.

Sister Veena has asked “On the behalf of the flood victims in Bihar I make an urgent appeal to people of good will to generously contribute to this humanitarian call and express our solidarity and support in time of need. Your contribution will make a difference in the life these needy people”